LeBron James entered the NBA as one of the most hyped players ever. The No.1 pick of the 2003 NBA Draft had a $90 million Nike contract before he played an NBA game. He proved worth it from Day 1. James posted 25 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals in his first game and became the youngest player to record a triple-double (20 years, 20 days). He’d go on to win the Rookie of the Year award in one of the NBA’s deepest drafts.
(Tony Dejak/AP)

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2004-05

James followed one of the best rookie seasons in NBA history with an even better sophomore performance. He averaged 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists. The Cavaliers still failed to reach the postseason for a second straight year. James hit banner moments when he was named the youngest All Star and All-NBA player ever picked at the time.
(Bob Leverone/Sporting News Archives)

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2005-06

James willed the Cavaliers to his first postseason appearance and playoff win of his career as a third-year player, maintaining averages of 31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists in the regular season. At 21 years old, James became the youngest player to average at least 30 points per game. He was once again named to the All-Star and All-NBA teams. His season would end in a second-round loss to the Pistons. (Bob Leverone/Sporting News Archives)

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2006-07

His most astonishing feat, though, came in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons. James led the Cavaliers to four straight wins to close the series, including a 48-point Game 6 performance, in which he scored 25 of the teams last 29 points. His first NBA Finals appearance would be short-lived, as the San Antonio Spurs bounced the Cavaliers in four games.
(Bob Leverone/Sporting News Archives)

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2007-08

This was another year in which James didn’t have enough help. James averaged 30.0 points, 7.9 assists and 7.2 assists, yet the Cavaliers won only 45 games. He later suffered his first playoff loss to a Boston Celtics team that would become his rival. James pushed the Celtics the distance in the second-round matchup, losing in Game 7 despite scoring 45 points.
(Winslow Townson/AP)

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2008-09

James won his first NBA MVP award this season, the first of four. He had averages of 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists in this year, and led the Cavaliers to the Eastern Conference Finals, where the Orlando Magic defeated them in six games. James, the league’s best player, needed a more rounded team to progress.
(Amy Sancetta/AP)

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2009-10

The writing was on the wall in James’ final season with the Cavaliers. “The Decision” was coming. James had missed the Finals again, struggling to carry his team against the Celtics with little help around him. The Cavaliers’ only wins in the second-round series came when James scored 35 and 38 points. But James kept his choice under wraps so well headed that no one knew what would come out of his mouth. He picked Miami and Cleveland jerseys were burned. James, the league’s MVP for a second straight season, took a serious hit to his reputation.
(Mark Duncan/AP)

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2010-11

James became the youngest player to post 2,000 points in seven consecutive seasons and narrowly lost the MVP race to Derrick Rose. But the season wouldn’t be remembered for that. When James joined the Heat, he promised multiple titles. In his first attempt, he failed, even shrunk in some eyes. The low point was a Game 4 loss in which James scored only eight points as the Heat neared elimination. He was roundly pummeled for his performance.
(David J. Phillip/AP)

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2011-12

He finally got over the hump. James, an MVP for the third time, nabbed his first NBA Finals win, pushing the Heat past the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder. The Heat won in five games and James made up for previous missteps against the Mavericks. James became the first player to win an NBA title, NBA MVP award and an Olympic gold medal in the same year.
(Lynne Sladky/AP)

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2012-13

James really tore up the record books en route to winning back-to-back NBA titles. At only 29 years old, James used his 10th season to join an exclusive club of players to win four MVP awards. He also picked up his second NBA Finals MVP. James became only the second player to win four MVP awards in five seasons. Bill Russell was the first.
(Wilfredo Lee/AP)